Reitzel



Jam 31, 1956 G. RElTzEL. 2,733,093Y

CLOSURE FASTENER Filed May 26, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l ff Mii. HW

,QrraR/vs y Jan. 31, 1956 G. Rl-:lTzEL 2,733,093

CLOSURE FASTENER Filed May 26, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor: Ceo/26 RE/rzn.

BY Hw HTroR/VE Y United States Patent CLOSURE FASTENER Georg Retzel, Altenmittlau, Kreis Gelnhausen, Germany, assigner to the firm Drescher & Kiefer, Inh. Georg Retzel, Altenmittlau, Kreis Gelnhausen, Germany Application May 26, 1953, Serial No. 357,481

Claims priority, application Germany November 24, 1952 9 Claims. (Cl. 292-332) This invention relates to hand bags and more especially to ladies hand bags, with particular reference to the closures thereof. Its main object is to facilitate the handling and to increase the reliability of such closures and to give the bag a better protection against pick-pocketing.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a lock or closure preferably for ladies hand bags and the closing parts of which will be arrested in the position which they occupy when the bag is opened.

A furtherobject rests in the provision of means for automatically effecting such arresting while the bag is opened, and for also automatically releasing the arrested position of the parts when the bag is being closed in order to enable the closing or catch members to move into the position ready for locking the bag.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of resiliently arranged arresting means operating at preferably right angles to the direction of movement of the closing members for arresting the closing members in the open or release position as aforesaid. j

With these and other objects in view the invention broadly consists in the provision of preferably two closing or catch' members movable in relation to each other into their bag locking position by suitably arranged spring means, and in which an additional spring member is used for automatically arresting the closing members in their relative position for opening the bag.

The invention further provides that the arresting means for securing the closing members in position are automatically controlled by the closing ap of the bag, as for instance by a member such as a catch frame attached thereto, or by one of the closing case members of the bag itself, in dependence of the bag opening or closing movement respectively. The said arresting device may comprise resiliently arranged latches, pins, pawls, noses, or other projections adapted to move at preferably right angles to the direction of movement of the closing or catch members, and to cooperate with corresponding retaining means, such as openings or recesses provided in said members. Other means serving the same purpose may, of course, be used instead. Also the additional spring member may be of any suitable shape such, for example, as a leaf spring, a spiral spring, or the like.

In a modified form of the invention the closing members may be hollow and the arresting means arranged therein so as to project from within into openings, recesses, or the like suitably provided in one of the walls of the said hollow closing members.

In the accompanying drawings two embodiments of closure fasteners according to the invention are illustrated by way of example. In these drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one embodiment of the invention.'

Fig. 2 :is a plan view thereof.

Fig. 3,represents a. longitudinal section through the device in closed condition of the bag.

Fig. 4 is a cross section on line A--B of Fig. 3.

ICC

2 Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3 and shows the closure fastener in the open condition of the bag, and

Fig. 6 is a cross section therethrough on line A-B of that figure.

Fig. 7 illustrates a modified form of they closure fastener in part-sectional side elevation in its closed postion on the line C-D of Fig. 8 as particularly suited for a bag of the closing case type.

Fig. 8 is a cross section on the line E-F of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 represents a horizontal section on the line GH of Fig. 8, and

Fig. 10 a sectional side elevation similar to Fig. 7, but in its open position.

The closure fasteners as exemplified in Figs. 1 through 6 comprises a base case 1 and a housing or cage 2 in which the closing or catch members 3 and 4 are arranged to slide in the direction toward and away from each other. Inserted into the ap 5 of the bag is a lock frame 6 so as to it closely over the case 1. The case is fastened to the bag by means of prongs 7 or the like, which are passed through small slits in the material and then bent over. The movement of the closing members 3 and 4 is limited by suitably placed lugs 8 which are fixed to the lower sidev of the closing members so as to move in slots 9 in the top plate of the case 1. Provided between the members 3 and 4 is a compression spring 10 tending to move the two members apart. One endv of the spring is located in a bore 11 of the closing member- 4 while its other end is seated on a pin 12 of the other closing member 3.

The closure fastener further comprises keeper and release means shown in the Figs. l to 6 as comprising a leaf spring 13 which may be riveted or otherwise attached to the side wall of the case 1 at the inside thereof. The said leaf spring is provided with noses or pins 14 which are adapted to pass through perforations 15 in the top of casing 1. Holes or recesses 16 are providedin each of the closing members 3 and 4 at right angles to their direction of movement, into which the pins 14 enter when in registry with holes 16 and the leaf spring 13 moves upwardly by its own resiliency. A slot 17 inV the front wall of the casing 1 is provided'through which the end of the leaf spring 13 projects into the path of the lock frame 6 on the flap 5 of the bag when the latter is being closed whereby the spring acts as a release means for pins or noses 14 as will become more fully apparent from the subsequent description.

The closure fastener just described operates in the fol` lowing manner: When the bag is closed the frame 6 is placed over the lock case 1 approximately llush with the top plate thereof as illustrated in Figs. l to 4. .In `this closed position of the bag the frame 6 depresses the protruding end of the leaf spring 13 as is shown in Fig. 4, bending the same downwardly so that the pins 14 leave their holes 16 thereby releasingthe closing mem bers 3 and 4. `As a result, spring 10 inside the said meinbers 3 and 4 is released and presses the twoY closing members outwardly until the'projections 8 abut against the the ap 5 of the bag in its locked position.

To open the bag it is only necessary to press the closing members 3 and 4 toward each other in the directionl of thearrows in Fig. 5. The members 3 and 4 are of a length such, in the close positionV of the members the combin'edlength thereof, is' equal -to or'less than the outside lengthof the case 1, or the inside lengt-h of thelock frame 6 respectively. -T his position 'of the parts is-illusfff trated in Fig. 5, from which figure it can also 'be seen;

that the lock frame 6 can now easily be lifted over the closing members. As the lek frame 6 is moved past members 3 and 4 it releases the leaf spring 13, which bends upwardly and causes the pins 14 to snap into the holes 16 of the catch members 3 and 4 which, in their pushed-in position, have their holes exactly over the pins 14. As aresult', the closing members 3 and 4 are auto! matically arrested, by control of the bag ap or the lock frame respectively, in exactly the same position into which they were brought by hand-pressure during the opening of the closure fastener.

When it is desired to close the bag, the flap 5 is moved against the'bag and the frame 6 thereby moved past the closing members 3 and 4 over the case 1. As a result, the frame 6 engages and thus presses the end of the leaf spring 13 downwardly as already described and thereby causes the pins 14 to leave the holes 16. This, in turn, releases the closing members which now can move outwardly under the action of the compression 'spring 10 into their locking position, in which they overlie the frame 6 as` illustrated in Fig. 3. The bag is now securely closed.

The closing members 3 and 4 are preferably made in the shape of solid blocks of rectangular cross section and rounded ends, although any other shape may be employed too if found more convenient'. All externally visible parts of the lock may be ornamented, colored, or Votherwise decorated to suit taste or convenience.

While the abovedescribed embodiment of the closure fastener is particularly suited for use on bags having closing flaps, the modification illustrated in Figs. 7 to 1G is more adapted for use with bags of the type having hinged closing frames. In this case the closing members 18 and 19 preferably consist of elongated, box-like hollow structures of sheet material, which may be sheet metal or any composition material desired. The members 18 and 19 are mounted on a base plate 20, which is fixed to the cross member 21 of the closing frame 22, and on which they are adapted to slide to and fro in their bag closing and opening movement respectively. The base plate is suiciently wide to overhang with one half 'of its closing members 18, 19 the cross member 23 of the other closing frame 24. l

Attached to the under sides of the members 18 and 19 are depending lugs 25 and 26, which are movable in a slot 27 of the cross member 21 of the closing frame 22; The ends of slot 27 limit the movement of the members 18, 19 by the lugs 25,v 26 coming into contact therewith. To the lug 25 is fastened a pin 28 and to the lug 26 a similar pin 29, both extending in the direction of move ment'of the closing members 18 and 19. Arranged between the lugs 25 and 26 and so as to be supported n the pins 28, 29 is a compression spring 30 which tends to press the lugs 25 and 26 and, therewith, the closing 'mem'- bers 18 and 19 in a direction away from each other.

Fixed to the cross member 23 of the other closing frame 24, approximately opposite the lugs 25, 26 are small brackets 31, 32 4having perforatioris 33 and 34 proyided therethrough.` Thelperforations Varedisposed to Vregister with the pins 28,- 29 on the lugs 25 and 26. When closing the bag the external ends ofthe pins 28, 29 enter into the perforations 33 and 34 under the action of the spring and thus secure the bag in its closed position as shown vin Fig. 7.

The keeper means which, as in the example shown-in Figs. 41 to 6, serves to arrest the closure fastener .in the position which its parts occupy when the bag is Vbeing opened, consists of a substantially U-shaped plate 37 displaceable in guides 38 atriglit angles to the direction of movement of the closing members 18 and 19. The legs 39 of the U engage, when Vthe lock is closed, the slots 40` which are provided in the side walls of the members 18, 19. `-'Ihe U-.shaped plate 37 is under the action of a compression spring 41, the other end of which .issupported on afpin in theV opposite wall of aV fixed sleeve meliberl 42 over which the closing membersv 18, 19 fare adapted to slide. Fastened to the U-shaped plate vr37"is further a release means in form of a vertical platef43 so as to extend with its lower portion between the cross members 21 and 23 of the bag closing frames.

This modified form of the invention operates as follows: When the bag is closed the closing frames 22, 23 rest one against the other as shown in Fig. 8 with the closing members 18, 19 pushed apart by the spring 30 and the pins 28, 29 projecting with their ends into the perforations 33, 34 of the brackets 31, 32, all as illustrated inig.7.` Vthen opening the bag the closing members 18 and 19 are pressed together by hand in the direction 'indicated by the arrows in Fig. l0. The ends of the pins 28, 29 leave the perforations in the brackets 31, 32 and the closing frames '22, 24 springslightly open. At the Asarrie time the legs of the U-shaped plate 37 enter the slots 4), thereby arresting the closing members 18, 19 in their mutually adjoining position as shown in Fig. l0. The bag' nowbe fgllydpellsdin "th'eopen position of the bag the vertical plate 43, or an equivalent part, occupiesa position a slight distance away from the Crossmember 21 of the closing frame 22. if, now, thebag is to be closed, the other closing frame 24 is pressed toward the frame 2v2, where' by lthe plate 43 lis'displaced inwardly so as to canse the legs 3 9 of the U-plate 37` to be withdrawn from the slo'ts 40. As a result, members 18, 19 are' no longer arrested and are able to spring apart under the action of the suddenly released spring 30. Duringtliis movement of the parts 18, 1,9 the pins 2,8, 29 reenter theperforations 33, 34 of the brackets 31, 32 thereby securing the lock in its closed position.

In this' modification also the catch or closing members 1 3, 19 may Ybe given a shape to suit taste' or convenience. Atrapezoidal cross section, however, such as shown 1n the drawings, has been found very attractive and is, therefore, given preference. The ends of the closing members may be slanted, as shown, or of any other shape asdef sired.

What I claim is: U

l. A closure fastener adapted for use on a container closable by placing two portions of the container in close juxtaposition, 'A fastener comprising a catch the said closure l means on each of said portions adapted to coactone' with the other in the juxtaposedposition of said container portions for fastening the'same'togetherpone of saidcatch means including two catch members disposed ,in alignment and slidable relative to each other between a spread apart relative position constituting a catch position and a vvclose relative position constituting Va releaseposition, spring means urging the two catch members into'the catch position, keepermeans `coacting with said catch members for retaining the latter in lthe release position', and release means coacting with 'the keeper`means"for releasing the'latter, the'said release means including a movable actuating member supported on one of said 'c'ota'i'ne'r portions'and` engageable by the other container portion upon placement of said portioris in thel juxtaposed position, the said `engagement ofthe actuatingmember effecting actuationof the release means for the purpose aforesaid thereby fastening the two"containerrpor,tions together. 2. A closure fastener according to claim 1, wherein the said keeper means comprisespring loaded noses releasablyenga'geable with cpenings'in each of the catch members in the release position thereof and the said actuating member coacts with saidy noses for withdrawing 'the sam'e from said engaged position'in response to a displacement of the actuating member due to engagement thereof with the respective container portion.

.3. A closure fastener adapted vfor use on a container closable by placing two portions of the container in close juxtaposition, the said closure fastener comprising "n'oine ofV said container portions' two'catch 'members disposedin alignment and relatively'slidable'between a spread apart aligned position constituting a catch position and a close valigned position constituting a release position, spring means urging said two catch members into the catch position, keeper means releasably retaining the catch members in the release position, and release means for releasing said keeper means, the second of said container portions having a receiving opening therethrough fitting said catch members in the release position thereof thereby permitting movement of the second container portion into and out of the said juxtaposed position, the said catch members overhanging the receiving opening in the catch position for fastening the two container portions together in juxtaposition, and the said release means including an actuating member engageable by the second container portion upon placement thereof in said juxtaposed position for actuating the release means thereby effecting movement of the catch members into said catch position.

4. A closure fastener according to claim 3, and further comprising a housing attached to the container portion having said catch members thereon, the said catch members being slidable disposed within said housing protruding from opposite sides thereof, the said housing and the catch members in the release position of the latter fitting the outline of said receiving opening for passage therethrough.

5. A closure fastener according to claim 4, wherein the said actuating member comprises a leaf spring secured to the housing and protruding therefrom transversely of the sliding direction of the catch members for engagement and deflection by the container portion having said receiving opening upon movement of the said portion into its juxtaposed position, said deflection of the actuating member eifecting withdrawal of the keeper means from the catch members.

6. A closure fastener according to claim 5, wherein the said actuating member is disposed perpendicular of the sliding direction of said catch members and protrudes from the housing closely adjacent to the side thereof attached to the respective container portion, the distance between the actuating member in its non-deflected position and the lower edges of the catch members being less than the thickness of the container portion having the receiving opening therethrough for forcing the actuating member into itsV deflected position upon placement of the said container portion in its juxtaposed position.

7, A closure fastener according to claim 6, wherein said container is a hand bag, the bag portion mounting said housing being the case portion of the bag and the portion having said receiving opening therethrough being a closure ap, the said catch members being slidable in a plane parallel to the general plane of the ap.

8. A closure fastener according to claim 1 for a bag, the said two portions of which are in form of two hinged frame members, and wherein the two catch members comprise hollow members, each slidably secured to one of said frame members, the said hollow members being telescoped in the release position thereof and spaced apart in the catch position thereof, and wherein the said keeper means comprise a spring loaded member secured to one of said frame members and having noses engageable with said hollow members in the telescoped position thereof for retaining the same in the said position, the said actuating member being secured to the frame member supporting the spring loaded member and coacting therewith for moving the spring loaded member out of engagement upon closing of the frame members.

9. A closure fastener according to claim 8, wherein the said spring loaded member is a U-shaped member, the Shanks of said member forming said noses, and the said actuating member comprises a plate connected to the U-member for movement in unison therewith, the said plate extending into the closing path of the other frame member for displacement of the plate into a position disengaging the noses upon closing of the frame members.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 314,345 Prahar Mar. 24, 1885 928,661 Isidor July 20, 1909 1,702,621 Stelljes Feb. 19, 1929r FOREIGN PATENTS 1,622 Great Britain Ian. 29, 1891 629,618 Germany May 8, 1936 

